Paperboard container labeling machine

ABSTRACT

A label applying machine for applying labels to a moving paperboard container sheet or blank, the machine having a conveyor with one conveyor moving faster than a retarding or timing means so that the labels reach a glue applying roll at the proper time and are then fed to a vacuum roll with adjustable vacuum release means. The adjustable vacuum release is arranged so that a label is released and placed on a moving paperboard container sheet at the proper place. The conveyor means also moves a label sidewise as it moves it forward toward the glue applying roll so as to assist in proper location.

W. J- HOTTENDORF PAPERBOARD CONTAINER LABELING MACHINE Aug. 15, 1972INVENTOR w d M ATTORNEYS 3 Sheets-Sheet l WALL/AM J //Offf/VO0RF FiledOct. 5, 1970 Aug. 15, 1972 w. J. HOTTENDORF 3,634,627

' PAPERBOARD CONTAINER LABELING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1970 3| 30 g Qgum- Q 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a: L J 27 E 5194 7-1 i 30 L28 j I Y a J 2 g 0 1INVENTOR F I G 7 Mum/ J harzzwflam ATTO R N EYj Aug. 15, 1972 w. J.HOTTENDORF PAPERBOARD CONTAINER LABELING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1970FIG.5

INVENTOR Mum/v1 J/Yavn-wfla/vF 04 7262 PM ATTORNEYS United States PatentOffice 3,684,627 PAPERBOARD CONTAINER LABELING MACHINE William J.Hottendorf, Los Altos Hills, Califi, assignor to Ametek, Inc., New York,N.Y. Filed Oct. 5, 1970, Ser. No. 78,059 Int. Cl. B65c 9/14, 1/02 US.Cl. 156-578 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A label applying machinefor applying labels to a moving paperboard container sheet or blank, themachine having a conveyor with one conveyor moving faster than aretarding or timing means so that the labels reach a glue applying rollat the proper time and are then fed to a vacuum roll with adjustablevacuum release means. The adjustable vacuum release is arranged so thata label is released and placed on a moving paperboard container sheet atthe proper place. The conveyor means also moves a label sidewise as itmoves it forward toward the glue applying roll so as to assist in properlocation.

This invention relates to machines for applying labels to paperboardcontainers.

It is necessary to apply labels to many types of paperboard orcorrugated board boxes. Many of these machines in the past have beendifficult to adjust so that the labels are properly positioned thereon.The machines must apply the labels at a high rate of speed.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved machinefor predeterminedly placing labels onto paperboard container sheets orblanks.

In one aspect of the invention, folded or flat paperboard containersheets or blanks are moved over a vacuum label applying roll means whichreceives a label with activated adhesive thereon. Adhesive also could beapplied or activated on the paperboard container sheet before it reachesthe label application station. The vacuum feed roll receives labels froma roll that has the labels fed thereto in such a manner that the labelwill be positioned properly when it reaches the sheet. Such a conveyormeans can include a conveyor arrangement feeding the labels to the rollwhich feeds the same to the vacuum roll, the conveyor arrangementincluding one belt means and a retarding or timing belt having lugsthereon associated therewith, the timing belt moving at a slower speedthan the other belt means so as to position positively the labelsthereon. The vacuum roll can have an adjustable vacuum release so thatit releases the forward edge and subsequent portions of a label thereonas it is applied to the moving paperboard container sheet. The conveyingmeans also can be arranged to move the labels in a transverse directionagainst a side positioning fence as the labels are also moved in aforward direction.

These and other objects, advantages and features will become apparentfrom the following description and drawings, which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view looking in the direction 3-3 of FIG.1;

' FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the conveyor belt and weightmeans;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of one end of thevacuum roll;

FIG. 6 is a view looking in the direction 66 of FIG. 5; and

3,684,627 Patented Aug. 15, 1972 FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional viewof the other end of the roll of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 1, conveyor belt means 10 carries the shingled labels10A against stop 11 which is arranged with suitable pressure responsiveswitch means 11A to stop motor 11B so that the conveyor 10 will come torest and prevent too many labels at a time being fed under the suctionfeed arrangement 12.

The suction feed means 12 is mounted on a carriage 13. Carriage 13' hasa shaft 14 mounted thereon with levers or arms 15, 16, 17 carriedthereby. Suction cup means 18 are carried adjacent the end of lever 17.There may be a plurality of cups 18 above the conveyor belt 10 andmounted transversely thereof. The fluid motor or other suitably actuatedmechanism 19 will oscillate the lever system so that the suction cups orpick-up members will move down on the top of a label and pick it up inan oscillating movement. At the same time or shortly thereafter, thecarriage means is moved to the right. A separate carriage drive (notshown) could be employed.

The label, which has been fed, will be carried onto conveyor belt means22 which will move the label to the right or toward the main gluingstation to be described hereafter.

Belt means 22 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3) can be composed of a plurality of spacedbelts 22A. Between the belts, there is a timing or retarding meansindicated generally by 23. The retarding means may comprise a chainmeans having retarding lugs 24 carried on the chains or belts 24A. Theconveyor belts 22 move at a slightly higher speed than the timer chains24A so that a label is carried and held against the adjacent lug means.The labels thus are fed in at the proper time or position relative tonip rolls 25.

Rolls 20, 27 (FIGS. 1, 3) are tapered in such a manner that the labelstend to move in a direction 28 toward fence means or positioner 29. Thebelts tend to move to the larger end of rolls 20, 27, and thus, thebelts will run at a slight angle. Offset double crown rolls (not shown)also could be used. In order to assist in the sidewise and forwardmotion of the labels under the influence of the tapered roll drivemeans, strip 30 thereabove has balls or spherical means 31 placed inapertures in strip 30, the balls being arranged and sized in conjunctionwith the apertures in the strip 30 so that the strip will be properlylocated above the conveyor means 22. The halls and strip are so chosenin weight that different size labels can be properly moved. Heavy ballscreate too much friction against some labels so that they move too fastwhich will cause curling of the edges when the labels reach fence 29.Various weight balls can be used to give the proper feed in a direction35.

At the stripping and applying station or zone, roll 36 carries glue oradhesive from tank 37 so as to apply the glue to the bottom of label Aas it is fed from rolls 25 toward the vacuum roll 38. Stripper means 39will strip the label off of the glue roll 36 and feed it upwardly ontopaperboard container sheet C upon the bottom of which the label is to beplaced. The paperboard container sheets are fed from station 43 in aconventional manner by kicker means shown schematically at 44.

Vacuum roll 38 has a bafiie arrangement which can be adjusted so as tocut off the vacuum at the proper position so as to release the label andthe subsequent portion thereof to the paperboard container sheet towhich 'it is to be applied.

Upper roll 40 applies pressure to the top of sheet C so as to press thelabel thereon. The labeled board is carried to conveyor station 41 whereit is picked up by belts 42 and moved sidewise relative to the machine.It, of course, would be possible to move the labeled paperboardcontainer sheet in other manners from the machine.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, 7, roll 38 has a cylinder 45 with apertures 46therein. Cylinder 45 is carried in bearings 47 in suction journal means48, a vacuum producing pump or means being connected to pipe 48A.

The other end of the cylinder can be suitably held in a rotatable driveend bearing 49 (FIG. 7). Drive sprocket 50 drives the vacuum cylinderthrough drive means interconnected with the other drive and driven meansso as to properly position the label on the paperboard container.

In order to control the point where the label will be released or freedfrom the vacuum, oscillatable baffle 51 is carried on shaft 52, shaft 52being rotatable by control handle 53 so as to position edge 54 of baffie51 to commence release of the label from the cylinder 38 at the desiredpoint. The 'bafile can have plates 55, 56 with suitable seals 57attached thereto. Portion 58 extends between the plates 55, 56 andcovers the vacuum passage 59. Thus, chamber 60 does not have vacuumapplied.

It should be apparent that variations in details of construction can bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention except asdefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a paperboard container label applying machine, the combinationincluding first roll means, vacuum roll means receiving labels from saidfirst roll means, paperboard container feeding means moving paperboardcontainer sheets to be labeled adjacent said vacuum roll means, andmeans feeding labels to said first roll means including conveyor meanshaving a first label feeding conveyor continuously moving at a fasterspeed than a continuously moving retarding conveyor means which receiveslabels from said first label feeding conveyor means and delivers saidlabels to said first roll means so as to be predeterminedly positionedthereon for application by said vacuum roll means onto paperboardcontainer sheets as they pass said vacuum roll means.

2. A label applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first rollmeans applies adhesive to a label thereon.

3. A label applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is meansfor feeding labels to said pick-up means including an oscillatab lesuction cup pick-up means and pressure responsive means for stoppingfeed of labels under said pick-up means when there are sufiicient labelsthereunder.

4. A label applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vacuumroll means has adjustable vacuum cutoff means to release a label at apredetermined point onto a moving paperboard sheet so as to adjustablyposition it thereon.

5. A label applying machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein the adjustablemeans is an oscillatable bafile inside of the vacuum roll means.

6. In a paperboard container label applying machine, vacuum roll meansfor receiving labels to be applied to a paperboard sheet, means feedinglabels to said roll means, means feeding sheets adjacent to said vacuumroll means, and adjustable vacuum cut-01f means carried by said rollmeans cutting oil vacuum applied to said label as the forward edge ofthe label is in a position to be applied to said sheet.

7. A label applying machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the adjustablemeans is an oscillatable baffle inside of the vacuum roll means.

8. In a paperboard container label applying machine, the combinationincluding first roll means, vacuum roll means receiving labels from saidfirst roll means, paperboard container feeding means moving paperboardcontainer sheets to be labeled adjacent said vacuum roll means, andmeans feeding labels to said first roll means including conveyor meanshaving a first label feeding conveyor moving at a faster speed than aretarding conveyor means which receives labels from said first labelfeeding conveyor means and delivers said labels to said first roll meansso as to be predeterminedly positioned thereon for application by saidvacuum roll means onto paperboard container sheets as they pass saidvacuum roll means, said first label feeding conveyor having meansimparting side movement as well as forward movement to labels thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,399,616 7/1946 Bailey 156-521 X3,408,908 11/1968 Berkowitz 156-521 X 2,158,280 5/1939 Fleischer 1562852,552,019 1/1952 Elsner 156-572 X 2,715,975 8/1955 Doane et a1 156-566 X3,142,428 7 1964 Faeber 226- 3,204,602 9/ 1965 Ferara 118245 3,496,0482/1970 Wooten et al. 1'56-578 X 3,536,570 10/1970 Holstein 156572 X3,540,970 11/1970 Huntwork 156556 3,594,258 7/1971 Dullinger 1565703,616,092 10/1971 Lavigne 156-566 3,616,094 10/1971 Navin et a1 156'572X HAROLD ANSHER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 156-566, 570

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATEOF CORRECTION ig I m'efitjmo; gnDafed August-15,1 72 Y Q ir xven i igo f f William 5. Hbtteiidorf I I Itis: certified t h-a i; error appears in' the above -"id e npi-fied 'ptent J and that said Letters Patentjare hereby corrected as "shownbelow:-

11 18136, s p l j I .1 signed and qs ea gg thisfzth qa oryij wifnbe r};19121;";

